Humidifier



G. D. STONE.

HUMIDIFIER June 1, 1937.

Filed Feb. l, 1933 INVENTOR Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT onirica 2,082,363 nnmnmma Gerald D. Stone, Evanston, Ill., assignor, by mesne ents, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Application February 1, 1933, Serial No. 654,603 13 claims. (ci. esi-123) This invention relates to humidiiiers and more particularly relates to a humidiier for use with respirable gases such as are used in oxygen therapy.

An object of this invention is to provide a humidier having means for breaking up a gas into small bubbles for intimate contact with a volume of water or other humidifying liquid so as to increase the moisture .of the gas. Another objectoi'A this invention is to provide a humidiiler of simple construction and `having a minimum number of parts so that it may be readily cleaned' and repaired. Still another object is to provide means for measuring the flow of gas throughv the humidiier. These objects togetherwith others; will be apparent from the following descriptionand the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is asectional view showing one embodiment of this invention; and v Fig. 2 is an elevation of the diffuser showing the i'iow gauge.

One embodiment of this invention, as shown in Fig. d, comprises a closed jar or vessel in which is contained a bell-shaped diffuser and a closely associated ilow gauge, both being submerged under water and connected by a gas conducting conduit with a source ofgas supply. The diffuser may contain a large quantity of glass'beads or other material that is capable of converting a body of gas into small bubbles so as to absorb a maximum amountl oi moisture on passing up through the water in the jar. 'I'he bubbles of gas are directed into a'gauge which may be attached to the side of the diiluser and conveniently positioned for measuring the rate of ilow of the gas and for enabling the ilow to be readily vis.- ibie to an observer.

It is preferred to employ a Mason jar or other transparent glass -vessel A' which may be tightly ysealed against leakage of gas and yet permit observation of the ilow through the jar.' A cover II is screwed onto the top of the jar A and is clamped-against a washer I2 which seats on a shoulder I3 at the base of the threaded neck,

of the jar. In order to provide an inlet opening Il through the cover I`I a metal block I5 may be soldered or otherwise secured to the under side of the cover and -have a vdrilling I6 extending centrally therethrough. The drilling I6 is tapped at either end to receive sections of a conduit I1 which is 'arranged 'to convey gas from a convenient source of supply, such as a commercial cylinder,v to the interior of the Jar A.

The conduit .I1 leads to the bottom of a dii'- fuser D where itemits gas through a pluralityA into bubbles as it ilows upward through the interstices between the beads. A large surface area. of the gas will thus be exposed to the water in the jar A in order to absorb a greater percentage of moisture than would otherwise be possible for a given set of temperature and flow conditions. The beadsyB may be contained be-. tween screens or perforated plates I9, 20 the lower of which screens is held above the port openings I8 in the conduit I1 by an annular ring 2i. The ring 2I is soldered tothe end of the conduit and is bored to complete the port openings. The ports I8 allow gas to ilow to a space 22 which is formed between the lower screen 20 and a cover 23 that encloses the lower end of the cylinder, so that the gas owing into the space 22 may be evenly distributed to all parts of the screen 20 and may iilter upwardly through the mass of beads B. l

The cylinder C is preferably enclosed in or covered by an outer bell-shaped shell S which is spaced from the side of the cylinder C and which forms a. conical chamber cylinder.v In order to support the shell S a sleeve 25 may be tted over a.- lower' section of the conduit I 1, so as to rest against the under side of the top of the shell, and a union or collar' 24 aboveV the ranged at one side of thel shell S and securedv o to the collar is a tubularow gauge G closely fitting ,the contour of the shell. An opening 28 leads from they chamber 24 above the cylinder to the top of the gauge G so as to allow gas toiiow into the interior of the gauge. In accordance with this invention a plurality of openings 29 are supplied at spaced intervals on the upper sloping part of the gauge which conforms to the' shape of the shell s and 1s readily visible because of its inclined position. 'I'hese openings 29 are made progressively smaller toward the bottom in order to permit the escape of bubbles of gas from the lower openings only when the rate of ilow is increased. The openings are so placed and sized that the rate of flow is measured in standard units, such as litres per minute, by

y observing the lowest of the openings from which the bubbles of gas issue. In addition the edges of the openings 29 are darkly colored so that the light bubbles may be easily discernible to indicate An outlet 30 is provided in the block Ill and in the cover Il to permit the gas to ow out from the humidiiler to an oxygen mask or other oxygen consuming equipment.

While I have found the use oi Mason jars convenient, since they are readily available for replacement in case oi' breakage, other types of containers may be used. Moreover,V various changes may be made inthe construction, and certain features may be employed without others, without departing from the present invention or-sacricing any of its advantages.

I claim:

1. A humidifier and ilow meter for gases comprising a vessel containing a volume of water; means submerged under the water for difusing the gas; an outer shell covering said diffusing means and having an outlet; and a tube connected with the outlet from the shell and having a plurality of submerged openings of progressively smaller size away from the connection with the outlet.

2. Humidier and flow meter for gases comprising a transparent container adapted to contain a liquid, and a diffusing means arranged below the liquid vlevel of said container, said diilusing means comprising an .outer casing and an outlet and a tube connected with said outlet and extending downwardly, said tube being provided with a plurality of openings of different sizes, the lower openings being the smaller.

3. In a humidier and ilow meter for gases a cylinder filled with beads; a bell-shaped shell supported by and covering said cylinder and having an outlet near the top thereof; and a tube leading from the outlet and conforming to the contour of the shell, said tube being provided with a plurality of spaced openings of progressively smaller size toward the bottom.

4. In a humidifier and ow meter for gases a cylinder containing beads; a shell enclosing the topof said cylinder, said shell having an upper conical portion and being provided with an out` let; and a tubular gauge leading from the out- I let and conforming to the contour of the shell,

said gauge being provided with a plurality of spaced openings adjacent the conical portion of the shell.

' 5. In a humidier and ow meter 'for-gases a. container; beads in said container; an upper screenl covering said container and a lower screen spaced from the bottom of the container and supporting the beads; a conduit leading to the space at the bottom oi' the container; a bell-shaped shell enclosingl the top of the conl tainer and being provided with an outlet; and

a gauge amxed to said shell and connected with said outlet for indicating the rate of ilow oi gas. 6. A humidiiler for gases comprising a vessel containing a volume of'water; means for breaking up the gas into minute bubbles including a cage containing a mass of glass beads and a bell-shaped shell above and around the sides of the cage for collecting the gas after passing through the beads.

7. A unitary gas humidiiler and flow gauge comprising the combination oi a container adapted to contain a body of water and having a gas inlet below the normal water level in said container and a gas outlet above said normal water level; gas subdividing means above said inlet butr below said normal water level, and adapted to subdivide gas entering the water through said inlet; and gauging means within said container between said subdividing means and said outlet to 'gauge the ilow of gas through` and the normal water level in said container,

said gas collector communicating with said gauging means and said gauging means having outlets severally located at different distances below said normal water level.

1l. A humidifier for gases, comprising a ves-l sel adapted to contain a body of water, means for conducting gas to said vessel, means for conducting gas from said vessel, means within said body of water `for dividing the gas into minute bubbles including a cage containing a mass of glass beads and a bell having a lower portion disposed about said cage and an upper portion of converging conical shape disposed above said cage for collecting said gas after passing through said beads.

12. A humidier for gases comprising a container having beads therein; an upper screen covering said container; a lower screenV spaced from the bottom of the container and supporting the beads; a conduit leading to the space at 'the bottom oi.' the container; and a bellshaped shell enclosing the top of the container and being provided with an outlet which communicates with a gage aflixed to said shell for indicating the rate of ilow of gas.

13. A humidifier for gases comprising a ves-l the collected gasto a ow gage; and means for' conducting such humidiiled gas from the vessel.

GERALD D. STONE. 

